UNCDF in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
West and Central Africa and the Caribbean Region
Loans
Guarantees
Investment grants
Our work
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) has been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since 2004, supporting the country to address development challenges by mobilizing public and private investment, strengthening local economies, and creating jobs.
Across its portfolio in the country, UNCDF deploys catalytic finance solutions to unlock investment in last-mile sectors, including climate and energy, biodiversity, women’s economic empowerment, and sustainable food systems, with a strong focus on domestic markets.
Through the deployment of innovative financial instruments, UNCDF supports financial inclusion and digital transformation, clean energy access, and the growth of small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), contributing to poverty reduction and more resilient local economies.
Programme Énergie Durable 2 (PED2): Scaling clean energy investment
Founded by the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) through the national REDD+ fund (FONAREDD) portfolio, PED2 is a $50 million programme launched in 2026. It supports the Government of DRC in advancing national priorities on climate, energy access, and sustainable development.
UNCDF deploys catalytic finance to unlock private investment in high-impact sectors. The programme focuses on clean cooking solutions, electrification, and sustainable biomass. Through a mix of grants, concessional loans, and guarantees, PED2 reduces risk for investors and enables businesses to scale in underserved markets.
PED2 delivers results across multiple impact areas. It reduces deforestation and carbon emissions. It expands access to clean energy. It supports job creation and strengthens local economies. By mobilizing investment and scaling solutions, the programme contributes to a just and sustainable energy transition in the DRC.
Programme Énergie Durable 1 (PED1): Unlocking investment for clean cooking
The Joint Programme on Sustainable Consumption and Partial Substitution for Wood Energy (2020–2025), funded by the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI) through FONAREDD, supported national efforts to expand clean cooking in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). While UNDP strengthened the policy and regulatory framework, laying out the foundations for market development and scale, UNCDF deployed catalytic financing to support 16 early-stage clean cooking enterprises, helping make them investment-ready.
The programme reached over 2 million people, supported the distribution of 300,000+ improved cookstoves, and mobilized $22.5 million from $2.15 million deployed, achieving a 15x leverage effect. Beyond results, it built the enabling environment and market confidence needed to unlock investment. This foundation has enabled a $50 million national scale-up to crowd in private capital and accelerate the transition to clean cooking solutions.
Woman using clean gas stove during a clean cooking demonstration day in Kinshasa. Photo: UNCDF.
A Bascons employee cutting metal sheets at a cookstove factory in Kinshasa. Bascons produces improved cookstoves in the DRC. Photo: UNCDF.
Unlocking private capital for natural capital in the Congo Basin
With funding from CAFI, Pro-Congo is a joint initiative by UNEP and UNCDF running since 2025, aimed at mobilizing private sector investment in sustainable enterprises in the Congo Basin across four key countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Republic of Congo (RoC), Gabon, and Cameroon.
The programme leverages blended finance, technical assistance, and concessional funding to support nature-positive businesses that contribute to forest conservation, biodiversity protection, emission reduction, job creation and sustainable economic growth. Through this initiative, UNCDF is building a pipeline of bankable entreprises and de-risking high-impact investments across agriculture, forestry, energy, and land-use sectors, while addressing the structural and financial barriers preventing businesses from adopting sustainable practices.
Promoting peace-positive business for conservation, resilience and stability
Since 2022, UNCDF, with funding from the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), has advanced an integrated approach that links peacebuilding, conservation, and blended finance in and around Kahuzi-Biega National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
This initiative addresses the root causes of conflict by strengthening inclusive governance, expanding sustainable livelihoods, and mobilizing peace-positive investment. It reduces pressure on natural resources, builds community resilience, and supports conditions for long-term stability and coexistence. The objective is clear: reposition the park from a conflict-affected landscape into a driver of stability, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development.
Early results demonstrate tangible impact. A $1 million UNCDF/PBF working capital grant stabilized a key economic actor, the Great Lakes Tea Plantation, preventing business collapse, and protecting local jobs and livelihoods. The programme has also catalyzed strategic partnerships, strengthened grievance redress mechanisms, and reinforced human rights-based approaches to conservation.
Eastern lowland gorillas in their natural habitat in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Photo: WCS, DRC.
Expanding financial inclusion through digital transformation
The ACTIF (Action, Change, Transformation through Financial Inclusion) programme, implemented from 2008 to 2024, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Embassy of Sweden, supported the digitization of savings and credit cooperatives by strengthening microfinance institutions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The programme enhanced the digital capacity of 18 microfinance institutions, including seven that adopted more efficient Management Information Systems (MIS) to improve operations and service delivery. It also supported three cooperatives in expanding their agent networks and digitizing their services, increasing outreach in underserved areas. Overall, ACTIF contributed to expanding financial inclusion, enabling access to financial services for more than 1.5 million new clients, of whom 47 percent are women.
Latest news and stories
Our partners
UNCDF’s work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is made possible thanks to the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund (UNPBF), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO), in close collaboration with the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and development partners, including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Documents
This section brings together key documents related to UNCDF’s work in the country. It includes a curated selection of publications, papers, and reports that reflect the scope of engagement at country level, from programme design to implementation and outcomes.
These documents offer additional context on how initiatives are developed and delivered, and how partnerships contribute to advancing national priorities. They are intended to support transparency, facilitate knowledge sharing and serve as a practical resource for partners, stakeholders and others seeking a deeper understanding of UNCDF’s work.
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Contact us
For inquiries about UNCDF’s work in DRC, including partnerships, investment opportunities, or ongoing initiatives, please contact our team on wcac.region@uncdf.org.
